Tuesday, October 08, 2013

New Hampshire U. S. Senate candidate Andy Martin will hold a
telephone news conference today, October 8th to announce Andy has asked U. S.
Attorney General Eric Holder for permission for Andy to visit the jailed son of
Hollywood star Michael Douglas.

“I sympathize with the parents of Cameron Douglas,” Andy
says. “Federal law is unduly harsh in dealing with nonviolent drug offenders.
Michael Douglas’ son is an addict, and he has also been a seller. But that
doesn’t mean he should be held under barbaric conditions. U.S.
Senators have a vital role to play in reforming our federal drug laws. When the
son of a celebrity is treated excruciatingly badly, that abuse is a basis to
focus attention on our broken prison system. I have asked the Attorney General
for permission to visit Douglas’ son.”

News from:

Andy Martin

Republican for U.S. Senator

www.AndyMartin2014.com

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I have read the published stories about the harsh treatment
being inflicted on the son of movie actor Michael Douglas.

Cameron has undeniably violated federal laws and he is
subject to appropriate punishment.

But if the published reports are true, Cameron is being
banned from having family visits, and he is being held in a form of solitary
confinement or administrative segregation. Rather than helping Mr. Douglas to
recover from his addiction, the BOP may
actually be exacerbating Cameron’s condition.

There are five reasons for my intervention and why I am
writing to you today:

1. First, I do not
see why a nonviolent drug offender, even one who has reoffended in custody,
should be subjected to conditions that involve extended periods of segregation
or solitary confinement.

2. Second, I fail
to see why the punishment of Cameron should extend to imposing unduly harsh
conditions on visits by his parents. It is beyond dispute that maintaining
family ties is an important rehabilitative goal. Unless there is some evidence
that Cameron’s parents are smuggling drugs to him, or otherwise violating
institutional policy, I believe the Douglas family’s
access to their son should be reinstated forthwith.

By all means punish Cameron in a sensible manner; but by no
means inflict unnecessary pain on his parents.

3. Third, as a
conservative Republican I am concerned by conditions in our federal penal
system. I would have thought the Obama Administration would have developed a
more enlightened penological policy than segregation and alienation. It is
ironic that some conservative Republicans have been leading the way in
eliminating disparities in sentencing. I also support equalizing all forms of
punishment within prison walls.

4. As a Christian,
I am reminded every day of Jesus’ admonishment that we must always remember
prisoners and captives and ensure that their treatment meets humane standards.
I know that many religious organizations play a vital role in our prison
facilities and I am delighted that this is an area were Christian organizations
are often leaders. The role of the late Charles Colson should always be
remembered.

5. Finally, I
would like to meet with Cameron Douglas at FCI Cumberland and discuss with him
the conditions of his confinement. I would ask that you make the arrangements
for me to do so.

I have been fortunate in life. I don’t smoke or drink to
excess. The strongest “drug” I ingest is an occasional cooler of iced coffee.
But rather than insulating myself from the reality of what drug addiction can
mean to a person, and to that person’s family, I am very concerned that the United
States strive to maintain a humane
incarceration program as part of our overall national policy of discouraging
drug use and abuse.

As an urban educator I received firsthand knowledge and
experience with the drug crisis during the 1980’s. While we no longer have a
“crack epidemic,” drug abuse and drug use continue to be major problems in our
society.

A growing toleration for “gateway” drugs may or may not be
creating long-term risks for our society. As a senator I would focus on the
impact that drug use has on our national condition.

I would like to encourage you to review the conditions of
Cameron Douglas’ confinement, and also review your treatment of prisoners in
general. While Cameron is a “celebrity” prisoner in the sense that he has
prominent parents, his incarceration helps to shed light on how other similarly
situated prisoners are treated. Unless Cameron is being singed out for
discriminatory treatment, his conditions of confinement signal a warning that
the BOP is not dealing with our modern drug
crisis in a way that leads to rehabilitation and recovery.

Please get back to me at your earliest convenience as to
when I may visit Cameron, and what additional feedback you have to satisfy my
concerns about the overall conditions of confinement in federal prisons.

ujntsman wasd reelected in November, 2008. A few
monrths later he resigned to serve
his president,” Barack Obama. SDo whyh was it so terrible that Palin resigned
and Hutsman served evenless of his secondterm? Can I say “double standard”
again.

LINKS TO THIS STORY (cut and paste the entire link below and not
just the underlined portion):

http://pagesix.com/2013/10/08/douglas-plea-for-jailed-son/

ABOUT ANDY:

Andy is a
legendary New Hampshire-based muckraker, author, Internet columnist, talk
television pioneer, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. Andy’s
family immigrated to Manchester 100 years ago; today his home overlooks the Merrimack River and he lives around the corner from where
he played as a small boy. He has forty-five years of background in radio and
television. He is the author of “Obama: The Man Behind The Mask”
[www.OrangeStatePress.com] and he produced the Internet film "Obama: The
Hawaii’ Years” [www.BoycottHawaii.com]. Andy is the Executive Editor and
publisher of the “Internet Powerhouse,” www.ContrarianCommentary.com.
He comments on New Hampshire, national and international events with
more than four decades of investigative and analytical experience both in the USA and around the world. For more, go to:
www.AndyMartin.com